Group Of Yoruba Leaders Divided Over Oduduwa Republic Agitation

Yoruba leaders are sharply divided on the issue of self-determination for Oduduwa Republic to be carved out of the present Nigeria.

The discordant tunes came to full limelight on Wednesday March 17, 2021, when some leading Yoruba socio-cultural groups converged on Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. Both camps differently appraised security and economy situations in the South West.

The Pan-Yoruba Congress, the Afenifere, Afenifere Renewal Group, Yoruba Koya, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and so on, met at Mapo Hall and advocated unity among the Yoruba race in order to overcome the insecurity threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria. They also proffered solutions to the trade imbalance between the North and the South West. But they still believe in corporate existence of the nation. But the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS), Ilana Omo Oodua, and others also met at the international headquarters of the Ilana Omo Oodua, Bodija, few hours after the security and economic summit at Mapo Hall. They unofficially agreed with the position of the stakeholders at Mapo Hall on security and economy of the South West. But they felt a bit disappointed that the Mapo Hall meeting did not address the germane issue of self-determination for Oduduwa Republic.

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams facilitated the meeting at Mapo Hall, while an erudite historian, Prof Banji Akintoye, the Chairman of NINAS and Ilana Omo Oouda, led the meeting at Bodija. Akintoye turned into supported by using Secretary of the organization, Tony Nnaji. The Bodija meeting became also attended by the Yoruba activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemi, fondly referred to as Sunday Igboho, who also threw his weight behind self-determination for Oduduwa Republic.

However, Secretary-General of the Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr. Kunle Olajide, in his reaction to the improvement, brushed off speculations that the South West would smash from Nigeria and shape a Yoruba state. He contended that having a Yoruba kingdom at gift is unrealistic, adding that it is not the solution to the myriads of demanding situations dealing with the state.

According to him, what's maximum essential for the kingdom now could be to have a brand new constitution that will address the hassle of lack of confidence and other problems being raised via many Nigerians, who are angry about the present state of affairs within the united states.

“We have to tread cautiously over this difficulty. For folks who are advocating a Yoruba country or a break-up of the u . S ., I don’t suppose this is practical for now. It isn't always going to be that clean. We have all been living together for over one hundred years, and there is no manner a break up will now not have some disastrous consequences. Although you could’t force humans to stay together against their very own wish, we need to tread carefully over the difficulty.

“What we need right away is a present day charter, a people’s constitution with a view to deal with these kind of troubles and deliver all Nigerians a sense of belonging. What Nigerians want is fairness and justice. They need a just and egalitarian society, where no person will be treated as 2d-class citizens. However the brand new constitution need to be subjected to a country wide referendum.

“Buhari via now must have addressed the kingdom for Nigerians to recognize in which he stands and his role. His failure to accomplish that isn't always in the great interest of the country, and is one of the reasons why you have tension all over the area. But sincerely speakme, a new constitution will assist to diffuse anxiety throughout the land,” he stated.

But Prof Akintoye, stated there's no going returned on the Oduduwa Republic. He explained that NINAS is aggregating the indigenous countries and Peoples of Southern and Middle-Belt of Nigeria, who've located themselves at the receiving cease of a maximum vicious ethnic cleaning onslaught by closely-armed invading Fulani militia, masquerading as herdsmen. He, however, cautioned the Federal Government towards the behavior of the 2023 popular elections that allows you to keep away from anarchy inside the united states of america. He argued that the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria has expired.